Machine for coating strips



Sept. 29, 1942.A w. P. osGooD 2,297,015

v MACHINE FOR COATING STRIPS Filed Sept. 13. 1941 4 Sheets-Sheetl www Ml..

Sept. 29, 1942'.

w. P. osGoQD l MACHINE FOR COATING STRIPS Filed Sept. 13, 1941 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v60 7. @fnd z NW'M Sept# 29, ,1942- vw. P, osGooD 2,297,015

MACHINE FO-R COATING STRIPS Filed Sept. 1:5,` 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 29, 194.2 w. P. osGooD 2,297,015

MACHINE FOR COATING STRIPS Filed Sept. 13, 1941 A 4 Shee's-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 29, 1942 MACHINE FOR COATING STRIPS l Walter P. Osgood, Malden, Mass., assignor to Boston Machine Works Company, Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 13, 1941, Serial No. 410,668

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for applying cement to both sides of a strip of indeterminate strength, and more particularly to a modied form of the machine described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 407,593, filed August 20, 1941. While this invention may apply to the coating of strips in general, it relates especially to strips of braided or 'plaited jute strands such as are used in making rope solesl for shoes. Such strips have in the past been made into soles by being folded and wound upon themselves and then stitched so that the edges of the strip form the broad faces of the sole. Instead of stitching the folds or convolutions together, a suitable cement may be used.

In forming a rope sole for a shoe of a given size and width, a definite length of strip is required. The proper length is cut oil` from a strip of indeterminate length and is folded or wound upon itself 'in successive convolutions in such a manner as to form the proper shape for a shoe sole. In order to hold the convolutions together, the faces of the strip are coated with asuitable cement, such as a latex preparation, the strip being folded and wound into the form of a sole while this cement is still in its adhesive state. It is desirable that the final or outer convolution of the sole have its outer face free from cement since such outer face constitutes the boundary edge of the sole itself.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-V Vide apparatus for applying coating to both faces of a strip, the coating on one of these faces being interrupted at predetermined intervals so as to leave an uncoated area on one face which will be the uncoated outer edge of a shoe sole after the strip has been wound into the shape of a sole.

As it is also desirable that the faces of the rope sole be free from cement, the apparatus hereinafter described is preferably formed to apply to each face of the strip a band of coating material or cement which is narrower than the width of the strip itself, so that the cement does not extend to either edge of the strip.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus for the purpose described which is arranged in such a way as to economize on floor space and which is easily set up, operated and adjusted.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference will be had to the following description of the embodiments thereof and to the drawings, of which- Figure 1 is an end elevation, partly 1n section, of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 4' is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an elevation of a portion of the machine showing the interrupter mechanism.

Figure 7 is a section on the line I-I of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an elevation of a portion of the machine shown in Figure 3, the movable guide wheel being shown in'its elevated position.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 8. i

- Figure 10 kis a section on the line Iii-II) of Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 10.

The apparatus may be mounted on a suitable base III and, as shown, includes a casting I2 which may be used as a reservoir for certain kinds of liquid coating materials. In the present instance, however, a pool of latex cement is preferably maintained in a receptacle I4 by connection through a pipe I6 to a suitable constantlevel source (not shown) such as an'inverted bottle supported with its mouth in a pool communicating with the pipe IS. Partially submerged in the pool of cement in the receptacle I4 is a coating roll I8 which, as indicated in Figure 5, may be provided with a pair of cylindrical coating elements 20 and 22, which are axially spaced. These elements are of greater diameter than the remainder of the roll and are preferably narrower than the width of the strip 24 which is to be coated.

Directly over the coating element 4I! is mounted a wheel or disk Si] having a periphery of approximately the same width as that of the strip 24. vThis wheel is spaced above the coating element 2U bya distance slightly less than the thickness of the strip 24 sothat, when the strip is fedV between the wheel 30 and the element 2U, it is pressed against the latter so as to ensure positive kissing engagement therewith, whereby a film of cement is transferred from'the element 2D to the under face of the strip 24. A doctor 28 is mounted adjacent to the peripheries of the elements 2!) and 22 to regulate the thickness of the films of cement carried thereby.

VThe guide wheel 30 is provided with a number of sharp pins or points 3l projecting radially from its periphery or is otherwise formed or equipped to prevent slipping of the strip 24 on the periphery of the wheel. As hereinafter described, a suitable feeding means is provided for advancing the strip 24 so that the wheel 30 is driven by the strip 24 and is kept positively in step therewith by the points 3|. The guide wheel 30, in turn, drives a mechanism by which it is periodically elevated t interrupt the application of coating to the strip. As indicated in Figures 1 and 6, the guide Wheel 30 and a coaxial pulley wheel 32 are secured to a spacer member 33 to rotate as a unit on a fixed shaft 34. yThis shaft is mounted in the free end of an arm 35 which is pivoted at 35 to a vertically adjustable cross-bar 31 secured to a Vpair of standards .3.8i

on the base lil. The shaft 34 has an extension 40 which normally rests on the bar 3l andi thus` limits the downward rocking movement of the arm 35 which carries the shaft 34 and wheels 30 and- 32. The height ofthe bar 3.1 is adjusted to space theguide wheel 30 the correctdistance above the coating element whenr the extension 40 of the shaft is restingon the bar as indicated in Figure 1. The wheel assembly 30 and.32 is also supported by an idler wheel or disk 4| which is ldirectly lbeneath the pulley wheel 32 and in a common plane therewith. A- belt 42 extends partlyaround the pulley-wheel 3,2 and passes between;the peripheries` of the wheels 32 and 4| so that the portion of the belt 42 which is tangent to the wheel 4| helps to support the Wheel 32. A predetermined portion of the belt 42' is thickened as at 43; and when this thickened. portion enters between the wheels 32and'4|, it elevates the wheelassembly, as, indicated: in Figures 8 and 9, so as to increase thespace between the peripheries of the wheel- 3D andthe.. coating element 2U. A leaf springV 44 (Figure 8)., which presses against the lower'faceof the strip 24 near the bite between the wheel 30 and the coating,

element 2|), lifts thestrip 24 clear of the coating element 20, so that as'lon-g as the guide'wheel 30 is'in its elevated position, no coating is applied tothe stripfby the element 20. TheV length of the,

belt 42-is such that While'the element 43 is traveling from an initial position around the pulley wheel 32- and back to the same position, a

length of the strip V24 just sufficient for one shoeA sole will pass throughthe bite between the Wheel 3.0*and coating element 2|).- The vlength of the thickening element 43 of the-belt 42 is suchas` to leave an uncoated area on the strip 24 ofthe samev length as theoutermost convolution of the strip whenfmade updnto a shoe sole. Thus belts of different lengths are used for preparing the strip; for soles of different sizes, and thickening elements 43 are correspondingly-varied in length according to the outermost convolutionsinr soles of different sizes.

. To support thebelt 42. properly, an idler pulley 45l maybe mounted in linewith thek pulley- 32v on-a standard 46 which is adjustable on ways` tlly (Figures 6 and '1)v toward orfv from the pulley 3:2- so that there will besuflicient tension on the bolt 42 to avoid slipping on` the pulley 32. In

-this manner the travelof the element 43 is kept instep with that of thevstrip-24y softhat the periodic gaps in the coating applied to the latter occurat correct intervals.

'I'he wheel 4| is supported byany convenient means such as a cross-bar 48 which'is carried by a pair of brackets 49'adjustably secured-to the standards 38.

After one face ofthe strip-24 hasl been-coated,

as hereinbefore described, it is desirable to apply coating to the opposite face. To this end, the strip is led around the periphery of the wheel 30, the uncoated face of the strip being in contact with the periphery of the Wheel. As shown in Figure 3, the strip 24 passes from the periphery of the wheel 3) to an idle guide pulley 50. The lowermost pointv of the guide pulley is substantially on a level with the lowermost point of the wheel 3Q. As shown in Figure 2, the guide pulley 50 is offset from the plane of the wheel 30 sufficiently to guide the strip 24 in a path parallel tothe'portion of the strip approaching the bite between the element 20 and the wheel 30. In, passingfrorn the idle guide pulley to the coating element. 22 of the roll I8, the strip 24 is inverted by being twisted through a half turn, so thatwhen it reachesthe element 22, its uncoated side will be presented to this element to receive the coating therefrom. 'I'he pulley 5i] is mounted on an inclined axis, as shown, to guide the stripV to its inverting movement. Directly above the coating element 22 is a suitable feed Wheelv 52 which is prefably provided with a knurled periphery having a series of points 54 adapted to sink into the upper face of the strip so as to ensure a positive feeding of the strip with minimum disturbance of the coating on this face. The feed wheel 52 is mounted on a driven shaft 56 which is supported by an arm Bil, which is rockable to raise the feed wheel clear of the strip 24 for removal or replacement of the strip in the apparatus.

As shown in Figure l, a gear wheel 62 is mounted on the shaft 56, this gear wheel meshing with a gear wheel 64 mounted on a shaft 66 which also carries a pulley Wheel 68. The shaft S extends across the casting l2 and drives the coating roll I8. The pulley 68 is connected by a suitable train of belts and pulleys, indicated generally as '50, to a pulley 'l2 mounted on the shaft of a suitable motor 'I4 supported on a frame l5, or to* any other suitable source of power. The pulleys in the train Hl can be readily replaced, if desired, by pulleys of different sizes to alter thel speed ratios between the motor and the shafts which drive the feed wheel 5?. and the coatingroll I8.

The arm 6) is rockable about a pivot 8D to permit the operator to lift the feed wheel 52 clear of the strip 24. The arm 6i) is normally pressed toward its operative position by its own Weight and also by a coiled spring 82. The space between the feed wheel and the coating element 22 is-determined by an adjustable stop element 84 carried by the arm B.

Thecasting l2 may be provided with a removable cover 86 which is rockable about the pivot 89 and is normally held in its closed position by a pair of screws and thumb nuts 8S. When the cover is swung upward, an abutment element 89 thereon supports the shaft 56 and its arm 60; Suitable guides i0 are provided to ensure proper registration of the strip 24 with the periphery of the wheel 3i). maintain the strip properly alined between the feed wheel' 52 and the coating element 22. A suitable guide 94 may also be provided to guide the strip -24 as it cornes from a bale towardthe nip between the wheel 3|! and the coating/element 2b.

In setting up the apparatus for operation, a belt 420i suitable length and having althickening element 43 of the proper length for the size of the shoe sole to be madeV is-mounted onthe Guides 92 are also provided to pulley wheels 32 and 45, the Supporting bracket 1&6 being adjusted to tension the belt 42 properly. The end portion of a braided jute strip may be pulled out from a bale of such strip and threaded between the guides Si) and between the guide wheel 30 and the coating element 2B, the wheel 30 being manually raised to facilitate this threading operation. The strip is then led around the wheel 30 and around the idler pulley 5i! in the manner indicated in Figure 3. The strip is then twisted a half turn and is led between the guides 92 and the under feed wheel 52. The latter can be raised by rocking the support arm d0 upward. Cement is supplied to the receptacle le through the pipe l5. The apparatus is then ready to be put into operation.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A machine for coating a strip, comprising a rotatable coating roll, a rotatable guide wheel on an axis parallel to that of said roll and normally in a position to press against the roll a strip passing between said wheel and roll, means normally pressing said wheel toward said roll, means periodically moving said wheel away from said roll during the operation of the machine, and means for inverting the strip after it has passed between said wheel and roll and leading it back to said roll to present its other side thereto.

2. A machine forecoating a strip, comprising a rotatable coating roll, a rotatable guide wheel on an axis parallel to that of said roll and normally in a position to press against the roll a strip passing between said wheel and roll, means Y Vrotatable coating roll, a rotatable guide wheel on an axis parallel to that of said roll and normally in a position to press against the roll a strip passing between said wheel and roll, means normally pressing said wheel toward said roll, means periodically moving said wheel away from said roll during the operation of the machine, means for inverting the strip after it has passed between said wheel and roll and leading it back to said roll to present its other side thereto, and strip-feeding means engaging the strip where it makes its second Contact with said roll.

4. A machine for coating a strip, comprising a rotatable coating roll, a rotatable guide wheel on an axis parallel to that of said roll and normally in a position to press against the roll a strip passing between said wheel and roll, means normally pressing said wheel toward said roll, means driven by rotation of said wheel periodically moving said wheel away from said roll during the operation of the machine, means for inverting the strip after it has passed between said wheel and roll and leading it back to said roll to present its other side thereto, and strip-feeding means engaging the strip where it makes its second Contact with said roll.

5. A machine for coating a strip, comprising a coating roll rotatable on a horizontal axis, a rotatable guide wheel mounted above said roll and adapted to press against the roll a strip passing between the wheel and roll. means on the periphery of said wheel to ensure positive driving of the wheel by a strip moving between it and the coating roll, and means for periodically lifting said wheel away from said roll, said lifting means comprising a pulley mounted coaxially with said wheel to rotate therewith as a unit, an idle Wheel below and in the same plane with said pulley, a belt of predetermined length passing around said pulley and engaging on the top of said idle wheel to support said pulley and guide wheel, said belt having a thickened portion of predetermined length to lift said pulley when it passes between said pulley and said idle wheel, and feeding means engaging the strip after it passes the guide wheel.

WALTER P. OSGOOD. 

